Keeper for trunk-straps.



No. 739,963. PATENTED SEPT. 29, '1903,

L; WESTLEN. KEBPER. PoRv TRUNKV STRAPS.

Arrmoufolr FILEDv nso. 1o. 1902.

l0 MODEL.

UNITEDA STATES 'Patented september 29, 1903.

LARs wEsTLEN, -or EUCLID, MINNESOTA.

KEI-:PER Foa TRUNK-STRAPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,963, dated September 29, 1903.

` Application liledDecember 10, 1902. Serial No. 134,610. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALARS VVESTLEN, a citizen of the United, States, anda resident of Euclid, county of Polk, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keepers for Trunk-Straps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The subject of the present invention is a novel keeper for trunk-straps, and has for its primary object an arrangement whereby trunk-straps will be securely retained fastenedagainst unauthorized tampering, but can be readily unfastened whenever properly desirable.

With the above and other purposes in View the invention consists in embodying, in connection with a strap-keeper, of a novel springlock cooperating with a stud or pin designed to engage one of the strap-holes whereby the4 strap is sol retained as to prevent its being unbuckled.

In carrying out the chief purpose of the in vention I have devised Va novel construction of spring-lock possessing certain features intrinsicallyY novel.

In the subsequent extended description the details and features connected with the invention are explained'at length and their functions and advantages pointedout.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of so much of'ra trunk as .is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a portion of the trunk-strap and the novel keeper, the latter being shown in an open position. Fig. 3 is a somewhat similar view, but representing the keeper as being closed. Fig. 4c is a detailed view of the keeper. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the trunk-straps and keeper, the section beingqtaken in the plane indicated by the broken line 5 5,'Fig. 3.

A designates the ascending strap of a trunk, which, as customarily,carries the buckle A. Said strap and buckle cooperate with a top strap B, the latter provided with the usual perforations to be engaged by the buckle` tongue. The extended part B of the top strap,

as also the strap A, is led through the novel keeper, which will no w be described.

The keeper comprises alowerloop O,for1ned by the bottom and intermediate horizontal partition c. The strap A extends through the lower loop, while the extended portion B' of the strap B extends through the keeper, but above the partition c. The latter has a pin or stud c', adapted to engage one of the holes in the strap portion B. l

Y \Vith a view of confining the portion B in its engaged position within the keeper I have ,devised a spring-lock D, which is hingedat one side to the body of the keeper, as indicated by d, while its opposite portion is provided with an opening designed to be engaged by a spring-catch d', arranged to coperate with the usual bolt-and-tumbler mechanism of a spring-lock.

Y A'key E is provided to serve in connection with the spring-lock described and to release the same from the catch d. IVhensuch release is effected, the spring-lock proper can be thrown back ou its hinge to the open position, (represented in Fig. 2,-) whereupon the strap extension Bv can be disengaged from the pin or stud c and the strap B then unbuckled, so that the lid can be raised and access had to the trunk interior. OfA course it will be understood that the arrangement of straps and keeper'described is duplicated at the other end portion of the trunk and that the same key E is intended to serve with both spring-locks.

With a view of 4reducing the opportunity for surreptitiouslyoperating the locks I have provided the latter with an inner horizontal partition D', beneath which the bolt-andtumbler mechanism is located, and in this partition I have located a key-opening cl2, which is arranged at a right angle with respect to the opening (Z3 in the top. y,Manifestly the insertion or withdrawal of the key requires two movements-one at a right angle with respect tothe other. Hence any attempt to operate the bolt-and-tumbler mechanism by means of a wire or similar device will be prevented.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a trunk having itsstraps equipped with the novel keepers described will be securely7 IOO retained closed against unauthorized opening. The novel keepers are of such character and construction that they can be readily applied to existing constructions of trunks.

Having noW described, my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A keeper for the purpose described, comprising a lower loop C for receiving an ascending strap, said loop formed in part by a partition c, equipped With a pin c, for engaging one of the perforations in a strap extension, and means for holding said extension in such engagement.

2. Akeeper for the purpose described, comprising a supporting-frame having a pin c', for engaging one of the perforations in a strap ber, 1902.

LAHS WESTLEN. lVitnesses:

HARRY D. WHITEFIELD, ANDREW ANDERSON. 

